[NFBWATlk] Tax Information -- even if you don't usually file...

[Kris Colcock]

Do You Qualify for This Tax Credit?  Ticket to Work Blog

Mar 14, 2024

It's tax season! If you earned income in 2023, it's important to file your
taxes. Do you know about the tax credit that may apply to you and the free
services available through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Earned Income Tax Credit

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a benefit for working people with
low to moderate income. To qualify, you must meet certain requirements and
file a tax return, even if you do not owe any taxes or are not required to
file. The EITC reduces the amount of taxes you owe and may qualify you for
a refund.

Do I qualify for the EITC?

To qualify for the EITC, you must meet some basic requirements such as:

Filing as a Dependent

Regardless of your age, if you're "permanently and totally disabled at any
time during the year," you may be considered a qualifying child. This means
that a family member that you live with may claim you as a dependent on
their taxes. If this is the case, you are not eligible for the EITC.



Who can claim?

Have worked and earned income under $63,398

Have investment income below $11,000 in the tax year 2023

Have a valid Social Security number by the due date of your return

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) do not count as earned income.

You can determine your eligibility and file and claim your EITC for free:

Use the online EITC Assistant at IRS.gov to help determine if you're
eligible. Information is available in English and Spanish.

If you made $79,000 or less in 2023, you can use software products through
IRS's Free File and electronically file your return to claim your EITC.
Visit IRS.gov to access the software.

Will a tax refund affect my SSDI or SSI?

You may be concerned that a tax refund will affect your eligibility for
public benefits, including Social Security disability benefits, Medicare or
Medicaid, and food stamps (SNAP). The law is clear that, in most cases, tax
refunds, including refunds from tax credits such as the EITC, are not
counted as income for purposes of determining eligibility for benefits or
payments. This applies to any federal program and any state or local
program financed with federal funds.

For SSI recipients, income tax refunds are not counted as income and all
federal tax refunds received on, or after January 2010, are not counted
toward your SSI resource limit for 12 months (current allowable resource
amount is $2,000 for an individual and 3,000 for a couple). For more
information, contact Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213
(1-800-325-0778 TTY) or visit your local office.

Who can help?

The IRS works with national partners, community-based coalitions and
thousands of local partners and governments. These partnerships, also known
as the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, provide free EITC
tax return preparation and tax help and tax education.

VITA offers free basic tax-return preparation to people who:

Generally make $64,000 or less

Have a disability

Are limited-English-speaking taxpayers

IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation
with electronic filing to qualified individuals. To find your local VITA
site, call 1-800-906-9887, or use the VITA Locator Tool.

https://choosework.ssa.gov/blog/2024-03-14-do-you-qualify-for-this-tax-credit.html

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